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Let's talk more about this with reporter Kim Jung-woo of the Ministry of Economy.



Q. Has the market atmosphere changed?



[Reporter Kim Jeong-woo: Looking at the numbers alone, it feels like the end of the interest rate hike is approaching little by little.

At the last Monetary Policy Committee last year, only one of the six Monetary Policy Committee members insisted on a freeze.

As for the 0.5 percentage point increase, two people made such an opinion.

But it was last month at the beginning of this year.

Last month the atmosphere changed a bit.

The number of members who insisted on freezing increased from 1 to 2, and there was no opinion that the rate should be raised by 0.5 percentage point.]



Q. Is the widening interest rate gap with the US okay?



[Reporter Kim Jung-woo: This is the argument that if the US interest rate continues to be higher than ours, we are a little concerned about our capital outflow.

So, now the interest rate gap is 1.25 percentage points, and there is an argument that it should not widen further here.

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Chang-yong has a slightly different opinion.

A 1.0 percentage point difference in interest rates is a little risky, and a 1.50% difference is more risky.

I drew the line that there is no theoretical basis for this.

So, it is a story that there is no need to be so bound by the gap between our base interest rate and the US.]



Q. Prices and the economy...

What is the Bank of Korea's choice?



[Reporter Kim Jeong-woo: First of all, it is the price or the game.

I have to choose one of the two, but it still seems to be expensive.

So, after the decision to raise the US interest rate came out today (2nd), the Bank of Korea reiterated what Fed Chairman Powell said that inflation is still high, suggesting that it is not yet at the stage of being relieved.]



Q. This month, standard Is there a possibility of interest rate freeze?



[Reporter Kim Jeong-woo: Yes.

First of all, since last month's inflation rate stayed at the 5% level predicted by the Bank of Korea, there are opinions that there is no need to raise interest rates. This is a situation where hopeful opinions are coming out.]



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